As most clubs in the Northern Hemisphere begin the rigours of pre season training and in the south club rugby is in full swing many coaches and committees will be posed with the challenge of how to retain young players. The Colt Conundrum will be a challenge being faced by most clubs around the world. Research into these drop off rates in sport for youngsters highlights a key age range of 11-24 years old with the most significant change between to the two age categories 11-15 years old and 16-24 years old. The Unions around the world are beginning to look for answers as participation numbers following Colts rugby begins to dwindle. The question though is what can be done at club level, by you, by the committee and by parents to make sure those young faces that wear club colours throughout the junior sections transfer to senior players maintaining the life blood of your club?
Before addressing the solutions it is necessary to have a greater understanding of the problem. The change in rugby from amateur to professionalism in 1996 is merely an example of the ever changing world that we live in. One major issue to contend with is the number of colts who now attend University, the greater number of University places means that many are now moving away from their hometown clubs and not necessarily picking up rugby at University. This coupled with a generation of youths who have a massively increased exposure to options. Options outside sport. Options at home. Options within sport. The vast range of hobbies and sports, computer games and television is diluting the numbers available to attract to a sport such as rugby. It is, therefore, imperative that we begin to look for solutions before we lose more players.
Many will point to clubs that are flourishing with playing numbers but during my own research into the situation there have been a number of clubs who are struggling to retain players. In particular my research focused on Littleborough RUFC in the north west of England. Thriving as a junior club, receiving RFU accreditation for this but Littleborough are struggling to field three sides on a Saturday as they have done in recent years. With senior member numbers dropping it has now become a necessity to look to the youth, whilst the first team has been successful in recent years taking them to their highest league level it is in the third team that the absence of players coming through is most noticeable.
During the interview process for this research the key ‘buzz’ word that kept appearing was ‘nourishment.’ This can loosely be attributed to the need to fully understand the pathway that young players travel to senior rugby and how they are looked after at each stage. By making available the necessary nourishment at each stage it may well be possible to make the transition from colts to seniors far easier. A number of suggestions were made during the interviews with the most predominant being the improvement of integration between colts and seniors as well as improving the level of advice and support offered to young players from coaches and other club members. These are the views of players and coaching staff interviewed anonymously but suggest a way forward for clubs.
All clubs will be different and will need to view themselves as a separate entity but the discussion needs to be begun. Littleborough RUFC through the assistance and of their newly established players committee have begun to build a transition pathway and to increase the integration of their current crop of youngsters. From playing a curtain raiser alongside the clubs Pink Warriors (Under 15s girls side) prior to a first team fixture and mixed touch/tag rugby days, the club and seniors are looking to eradicate the daunting change from age grade rugby to open age. The Colt Conundrum will pose questions in the next few years but it is vital that clubs begin to tackle it head on so that rugby can continue to prosper around the world.
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